Washashore Music Festival Returns to P-town with Queer Talent

Singer-songwriter Jake Wesley Rogers will headline the third annual Washashore Festival with Tony Award-winner and host John Cameron Mitchell!

The Washashore Festival is returning with its most ambitious effort yet for the third annual queer music event in Provincetown on October 7-8, 2023. Festival organizers are expanding on its mission to foster community around queer artistry and self-expression with a lineup of what is touted as “its biggest talent yet.” The two-day event will be hosted by the Tony Award-winning writer, actor, and musician John Cameron Mitchell (star of Hedwig & The Angry Inch and Shortbus), and rising star Jake Wesley Rogers set to be the headliner for this year’s festival. J

Just FYI, you can plan your trip with our trusted queer guide of recommendations on where to eat, where to sleep, and what to do when visiting the LGBTQ+-friendly Provincetown.

The festival will kick off Saturday with the second annual “Net Gala” leading into the night’s performances and will end with a Provincetown edition of Mitchell’s legendary New York party “The Mattachine.” Mitchell is touted as one of alt-culture’s boldest creators and of the biggest queer arts pioneers in modern history. He has directed, starred in, and wrote (with Stephen Trask) the film Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), for which he won Best Director at the Sundance Festival, was nominated for a Golden Globe as Best Actor, and won Tony Awards for his most recent Broadway Hedwig performance and for Best Revival. Mitchell also directed the films Shortbus (2006), Rabbit Hole (2010), and How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2018).

Saturday’s opening night festivities at the Crown & Anchor will feature Boyfriend – a critically acclaimed New Orleans-based star – and a performance by local rapper Drizzy Bravo.  Boyfriend has amazed audiences around the country with her bombastic live stage performances and unique brand of “rap cabaret.” She has been named one of the Bonnaroo Festival’s favorite performers as voted on by festival-goers and has collaborated with fellow New Orleans-based icon Big Freedia. 

For the first time, the festival will culminate with a host of programming at Provincetown’s historic Town Hall. With Provincetown’s largest event space as its backdrop, the festival’s Sunday night extravaganza will open with performances from trans-Korean-American synthpop guitarist Superknova who was a fan favorite at Washashore Festival 2022. DJ Andrew Haigh and Joao Santos will perform an original immersive musical piece commissioned specifically for the Town Hall space. 

In addition to performances throughout the evening from host John Cameron Mitchell, John Wesley Rogers will close out the evening with his headlining set, making his first appearance in Provincetown.  Often described as the musical love child of Elton John and David Bowie, Jake Wesley Rogers has been on a steady rise over the past several years, amassing a fervent fanbase with his hit major label debut “Pluto.” He has garnered praise from the likes of Elton John himself for his tightly-written pop melodies, who referred to Rogers as reminiscent of a young Elton himself when he was first starting out.

“Washashore Festival is a festival for everyone! Every single human wants to celebrate by living their most authentic life, and there’s no better place to do that than in Provincetown with live music from the most amazing queer artists in the world,” said Aaron Clayton, Executive Director of the Washashore Festival.

The Washashore Festival is presented by The Provincetown Brewing Co., Crown & Anchor, and Tangle-Made Productions. In its short history, the Washashore Festival has established itself as an unforgettable, multi-venue, genre-bending, queer music festival that reflects Provincetown’s unique soul with performers that embody individuality, diversity, love, acceptance, and joy.  It has played host to national and rising acts alongside Provincetown’s incredible local talent.

This is a 21+ event with tickets ranging from $65 to $200. Tickets are available here. View the full lineup at WashashoreFestival.com and follow @washashorfest on Instagram for updates.